Disorder Induced Power-law Gaps in an Insulator-metal Mott Transition

A correlated material in the vicinity of an insulator-metal transition (IMT) exhibits rich phenomenology and variety of interesting phases. A common avenue to induce IMTs in Mott insulators is doping, which inevitably leads to disorder. While disorder is well known to create electronic inhomogeneity, recent theoretical studies have indicated that it may play an unexpected and much more profound role in controlling the properties of Mott systems. Theory predicts that disorder might play a role in driving a Mott insulator across an IMT, with the emergent metallic state hosting a power law suppression of the density of states (with exponent close to 1; V-shaped gap) centered at the Fermi energy. Such V-shaped gaps have been observed in Mott systems but their origins are as yet unknown. To investigate this, we use scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy to study isovalent Ru substitutions in Sr3(Ir1-xRux)2O7 (0≤x≤0.5) which drives the system into an antiferromagnetic, metallic state. Our experiments reveal that many core features of the IMT such as power law density of states, pinning of the Fermi energy with increasing disorder, and persistence of antiferromagnetism can be understood as universal features of a disordered Mott system near an IMT and suggest that V-shaped gaps may be an inevitable consequence of disorder in doped Mott insulators

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

Zeolite-Y entrapped Ru(III) and Fe(III) complexes as heterogeneous catalysts for catalytic oxidation of cyclohexane reaction

Catalysis is probably one of the greatest contributions of chemistry to both economic growth and environmental protection. Herein we report the catalytic behavior of zeolite-Y entrapped Ru(III) and Fe(III) complexes with general formulae [M(VTCH)2·2H2O]+-Y and [M(VFCH)2·2H2O]+-Y [where, VTCH = vanillin thiophene-2-carboxylic hydrazone and VFCH = vanillin furoic-2-carboxylic hydrazone] over the oxidation of cyclohexane forming cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol. The samples were corroborated by various physico-chemical techniques. These zeolite-Y based complexes are stable and recyclable under current reaction conditions. Amongst them, [Ru(VTCH)2⋅2H2O]+-Y showed higher catalytic activity (41.1%) with cyclohexanone (84.6%) selectivity

Intramedullary Abscess of the Cervical Spinal Cord in an Otherwise Healthy Man

An intramedullary spinal cord abscess is a rare, albeit widely publicized entity. Classically, patients have an acute onset of symptoms with fevers and leukocytosis supporting the diagnosis. We present a case of intramedullary spinal cord without classic history or imaging characteristics in which the diagnosis was made with diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A 57-year-old physician presented with severe neck and shoulder pain, which progressed over several days to right-sided hemiparesis with dysesthesias. There was no history of fevers, rigors, or illness. A contrast enhanced MRI of the cervical spine revealed an intramedullary lesion centered around C6-T1 that showed peripheral enhancement with gadolinium and edema extending rostrally and caudally. He was then transferred to our institution where the novel application of diffusion weighted MRI of the spinal cord was performed, suggesting an abscess. He then underwent focal laminectomies and biopsy of this lesion with drainage of the necrotic cavity. Intraoperative Gram stain revealed gram-positive cocci, and cultures were sent to the laboratory. After draining the purulent material and completing a course of tailored antibiotics, the patient showed improvement of his neurologic deficit. The use of diffusion weighted imaging in the spine is a novel application of technology that provided an accurate preoperative diagnosis and allowed us to tailor our surgical approach and provide a rapid focal decompression

In-vitro generation of interleukin-10 secreting B-regulatory cells from donor adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells and recipient peripheral blood mononuclear cells for potential cell therapy

Background: Interleukin-10 secreting B-cells are a major subset of B-regulatory cells (B-regs), commonly recognized as CD19+/38hi/24hi/IL10+. They carry out immunomodulation by release of specific cytokines and/or cell-to-cell contact. We have generated B-regs in-vitro from donor adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSC) and renal allograft recipient (RAR) peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) for potential cell therapy. Material and methods: Mononuclear cells separated by density gradient centrifugation from 50 ml anti-coagulated blood of 15-RAR and respective donors were analysed for baseline B-regs using appropriate antibodies. Equal amount (20 × 106 cells/ml) of stimulator (irradiated at 7.45 Gy/min for 10 min) and responder (non-irradiated) cells were co-cultured with in-vitro generated AD-MSC (1 × 106 cells/ml) in proliferation medium containing lipopolysaccharide from E. coli K12 strain at 37 °C with 5% CO2. Cells were harvested on day-7 and analyzed for viability, sterility, quantity, morphology and phenotyping. In-vitro generated B-reg levels were compared with baseline B-regs. Results: In-vitro generated B-reg count increased to 16.75% from baseline count of 3.35%. Conclusion: B-regs can be successfully generated in-vitro from donor AD-MSC and RAR PBMC for potential cell therapy

Tacrolimus as the first-line agent in adult-onset minimal change disease: A randomized controlled study

Steroids have been the cornerstone of first-line therapy in adult-onset minimal change disease (MCD). The period of exposure to high dose steroids may be longer in adult MCD patients and would result in higher rates of steroid-related side effects. Although tacrolimus (TAC) is known to be effective in steroid-dependent/resistant MCD as well as in nephrotic syndrome due to other causes, there are minimal data available for assessing the effectiveness of TAC as the first-line agent in adult MCD. This is a prospective, open-label, randomized controlled study conducted from April 2014 to March 2016. Patients were randomized into two groups A and B which received TAC for 12 months and oral steroids for six months, respectively. Primary outcomes were remission rates, drug resistance was measured at 6, 12,and 18 months in each group and secondary outcomes were relapse rates, sustained remission rates, dependency, and adverse effects were measured at 18 months in both groups. At six months, total response (TR, i.e., complete and partial remission) was achieved in 80% in the TAC group and 78.26% in the steroid group (P = 1.000). At 12 months, TR was 60% in the TAC group and 43.48% in the steroid group (P = 0.386). At 18 months, TR rate was 44% in the TAC group and 43.48% in the steroid group (P = 1.000). About 32% in the TAC group and 39.13% in steroid group had relapsed by 18 months. Serious adverse effects were similar in the two groups, but overall adverse effects were more in the steroid group. TAC as a primary agent is not inferior to steroids in inducing remission. TAC may be considered as an alternative agent to steroid in high-risk groups such as elderly patients, uncontrolled diabetes and young females as a primary agent in the management of adult MCD